DESCRIPTION (taken from the applicant's Abstract): The long-term goal of this program is to train physicians and basic scientists for careers in skin biology and academic dermatology. For physicians, there is a two-year clinical program followed by two years of research usually in the laboratory. The Ph.D. scientists are ordinarily recruited by the research faculty and devote a minimum of two years in departmental laboratories to prepare them for a career in cutaneous biology and pathology. The areas of research include immunology, growth and development, mesenchymal biology, epithelial differentiation and carcinogenesis, photobiology, pigment cell biology and oncology and clinical pharmacology. There will be an emphasis on use the most current techniques of molecular biology. Trainees will ordinarily be assigned to various laboratories in our department and be supervised by one or more faculty members. The trainees will be encouraged to participate in seminars and basic science courses. The M.D. trainees will be selected primarily from the pool of individuals chosen for the clinical/research training program. Individuals with a prior in-depth research experience particularly those with the M.D.-Ph.D. degree are especially recruited. Individuals who have completed their clinical training elsewhere are also considered for positions especially minority candidates. Ph.D.s apply to our program most frequently through our faculty but also in response to our advertisements. An identifiable interest in a research career in academic dermatology and/or cutaneous biology is the main criteria for selection. The training facilities are those of the Department of Dermatology of the Harvard Medical School which are located in the Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Children's Hospital Medical Center. Other sites to be utilized include the various basic science laboratories of the Harvard Medical School and MIT. The Department of Dermatology at Harvard has 36 faculty members engaged in research in a number of disciplines. Major assets are the Wellman Laboratories, the CBRC, Dr. Kupper's new research group at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dr. Streilein's new group at the Schepens Eye Research Institute. The department has recently been awarded a five year Skin Disease Research Core Center grant which will expand interaction with other departments at Harvard Medical School.